Anatomical guard, boot, or pad.



No. 746,338 PAT'ENTED'DEG.8,-1903.

' F. W. KEEN. AVNATOMI'OAL GUARD, BOOT, 0R PAD.

APPLICATION FILED NOV; 6. 1902.

N0 MODEL.

' subject of the Kingof, Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have'invent UNITED STATES Patented December 8, mos.

PATENT- OFFICE.

FREDERiOK W. KEEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF .TO CHARLES H. WILLIAMS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

- ANATOMI'CAL UARD, Boo-r, oR PAD.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No 746,338, dated December 8,, 1903..

Application filed November a. 1902. Serial No. 130,328. on model.) i I To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. KEEN, a

ed certain new and useful Improvements in Anatomical Guards, Boots, or Pads, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein tot-he accompanying draw- 7 ings, which form a part thereof. My invention relates to anatomical guards, boots, or pads, and more particularly to a class thereof especially adapted to be applied to and protect certain exposed bony-portions of the body under various conditions.

The object of my invention is to provide a guard, boot, or pad of this class which will readily conform to the part to be protected, which will present exteriorly a cushion which will not only relieve the part to which it is.

attached from the effects of blows or contact with other parts or substances, but will also mitigate the effects of such on the interfer-,

ing part, and which may readily be applied.

A further object isto provide a guard, boot, or pad the cushion of which may be regulated to meet different requirements and the exposed portions of which are sheathed or rein-forced to protect the cushion proper, and thus preserve the flexibility or elasticity of the latter and prevent accident thereto resulting in'its deflation.

- The invention consists in those novelfea- 'tures of construction hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an-athletes shoe embodying my invention. Fig. 2is a similar view thereof, showing the facing turned back to disclose the pocket and the contained airbag. Fig. 3 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 4. is a front elevation of a boot or pad for a horse embodying the invention. Fig. 5 is a cross-section thereof, showing the pocket and the contained air-bag in elevation; and Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are views of different forms of airbags.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

adapted to conform to the contour of the part to which it is applied, provided with means whereby it is secured in the desired relation. This base is providedwith a facing having an opening therein adjacentto the most exposed portion of the part to be protected and' coincident with that portion of the guard, boot,*or pad which is liable to the greatest wear, and a concave metal plate is secured in this openingby any desired means, as or dinary stitching alone or in con-junction with a facing-strip. In the pocket or sac'so formed is seated an air-bag, which is interposed .between the flexible base and the facing referred to. This bag is provided with a'tube exterior to both the base and the facing to facilitate the inflation of said bag.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to'3, inclusive, the invegtionis shown as applied to an athletes shoe. In this embodiment of theinvention-the lining a of the upper constitutes the flexible base-adapted to conform to the ankle of the wearer. The said base is secured to the ankle and foot of the wearer by means of the ordinary vamp b and lacing.

(Not shown.) The leather upper o is sui'ficiently large to form a pocket or. sac d between it'and the lining or base a, in which is seated an inflatable air-bag e, provided with an air-tube f. This bag conforms tothe pocket (1 sufficiently to prevent its undue eX- pansion and the resulting loss of air-pressure. Directly above the point where the anklebone of the wearer will be the upper c has an opening-g therein of sufficient size'to include the most exposed area of said upper both with relation to the part to be protected and the blows thereon to be anticipated. This opening is closed by a concave plate h, of aluminium orother light tough metal, which is socured in position by means of openings adjacent the edge thereof and ordinary stitches.

The precise means of securing this plate in position, however, are immaterial to the invention. The plate 71. serves to protect the air-bag e from the effects of spikes, blows,

&c., and at the same time in case of the defiation or partial deflation of the bag will protect the ankle-bone from the effects of such accidental blows or spiking. The general shape of air-bag e is shown in Figs. 2

too

em'i 17m tohe f thereof preferably proprotected, is; prominent, with Corresponding 6o shoe-Lorrie. 2r merioert give iiepreosionsadjacent theretcgthe air-pressure ,hereto. iihin the see or pocket (Z or 1/ may be inr'to igge. 4: end 5, the im'encreased to give greater rigidity to the entire F eppiiorli to hoot or per: for c or c, and thee gi o greater powere this;ppioa'aiomeftheinvention, i. resistance to blower thereon. When the cr is fiezrihie hear adapted, oomform to a pert not are prominent, a lower pressure will eufi'ice.

"rim ph /re h or it being; of metal and die-- porxi, it it is, (iireetiy over the meet promi" eeing: einpio heritport to he protected gives adequate proto ,other in. a iriimrrr to term it motion to the air mp; from Silitll]f3i1()fl(fi!'5,$010" .4 "Ci time i "was, horseshoe-mmhe, or other objects with In the pocket mo forum i ihioh. it must contact repeatedly, thus prei3 :tir-tizhe writing the puncture of thezrirheg. The said .htete the weft pinto Ewing; iig'ht, it does uotinterfere with the 7 wearer in any way Its concavity tends to oonform, more or iess, to the contour of the and this mo re! when the air-beg ieinfleteci and at the to 71 or? .7, time lime preoento outwardly a curved sur- Whioh Moe, wi'iich would tend to deflect hiowe theretil i or receive nth to opening i2; clea hy er oohoove p aluminium or ot er light too i: me ah is *eri in. 3: m hf, merino oi? hoiee mt on. Not oniydoee this pieto act as described jeoem; to the emf e thereof and ordinary when the air-hag 1H inflated, hot in 021% the stitches throogii eeiii iwler; am i amid facing" sank]. hag should become whoiiy or partly in the .ewhefliment of the invention here iiieflitteci said plate will otiil offer some protofore (Iii er-iheri; the erect meme em ployed tent-hm to the more prominent part being to sorrow thiri pirte iri piece 15 not mmte izti, guarded-forexample, the euklebone. This re n: iimsmaieh he grime remit he piano iihewhie aids in protecting the air-beg iii iiie relation to its so ort in mono within the porhet from climatic conditions. i U irjjilzwemeut Li! imre or @IiN'ULlW' The presentation outwardly Ofe cushion of wioiiatioe er the eivh: hi '7 this type not only insures proteetion to the eier. I wearer, imtoi'ijeeie coming into eontaettherowith are likewise protected from injury resuiting from the blow whether this he the ini'erim leg oEzL horse or the person of 2mwit th' w" in i Tii' reomri'iuigent in ethietiega-mae. i

L15 9 Suits 1 rieeerihei the invention, vrhet I 7H 1 the 'ir r ".iheeerm prone uni! not in w 1 merr and deeirotoi'izive protected by Patent, iS-

A gum-iii, hoot or pool ooin irieing zi flexible L hmieiu epted to conform to the contour of the X60 uteri throw M i i uin. pert to which it ii: ehpiiech means; whereby MG time 3 her. 7' :azriii new rezry be secured. in relation to said 1 Prevent the mm :i moing on said mire whereby it sac or 'ihe pee-km it} formed comprising tlexihie materiel impart HQUUi'Pti to said inter: and having it cent/111 r05 reiei-irm opening: therein, a, comer-we metal plate oioer iimtpurhip; mid opening and means whim-eb eeid *hzugrrorc n; e is F1 med to Mid facing, an air-hog 1i through water} within said i to or pocket or: formed, in from! 1m zmri men-m: for inflating;

rrhiiah the in witnerie WilEIHOi: Ii have hereunto ef'iixeri my igrmtiire, thirs fithr'hwoi'N0veii1her,1902,

iii the presence of two witnessee.

iiHhIDERiQUK W'. KERN.

v to that With roe:

i=7. 1%. FWYFK'HNGHAMI,

A. It. .frF-LLJMIN.

" id air-hag. no 

